Hampshire earn their corn with title success

Cornwall drew first blood as they went 2-0 up in the ladies’ B match but the visitors hit back to win 4-2 as Claire Cheney (Gosport), Dawn Simmonds (Havant), Sue Thompson (Gosport) and Kelly Palmer (Petersfield) were all winners.

Once more the home side were the early victors in the men’s second-string game as they took the opening set before Hampshire rattled off five on the trot courtesy of Conner Bevis, Robin Hathaway, Steve Jannaway (Lee-on-the-Solent), Mark Thorne and Andy Newcombe (Portsmouth).

Cornwall pulled a set back but that was all they could muster.

Charlie Jackson (Portsmouth), Paul Winter (Portchester), James Nicholson, Luke Getty and Mick Street completed a convincing 10-2 triumph.

Hampshire started the second day with a 14-4 lead and immediately extended it as Wendy Reinstadtler opened proceedings in the ladies’ first-team match.

Cornwall took the next set to level but it was one-way traffic from there on with Jo Senior (Locks Heath), Tara Power-Gillet, Jane Monaghan (Portsmouth) and Sue Lowther (Horndean) completing a 5-1 win that guaranteed Hampshire victory overall.

Chas Barstow and Mike Gillet put Hampshire’s men’s A team 2-0 up before Cornwall battled back to assume a 3-2 lead.

Hampshire pulled level through Brad Kirk before Cornwall moved ahead again, going 5-3 up.

Momentum then swung to Hampshire with Danny Pitman, Gary Stafford and Dave Coffin putting them 6-5 up.

Cornwall took the last set to draw the match 6-6 but it wasn’t enough to stop Hampshire’s promotion party.